


Be My Forever

by rainbowslovehl (Larrymateforlife)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Valentine's Day, liam is only two mentions okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 07:34:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9711314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larrymateforlife/pseuds/rainbowslovehl
Summary: Harry Styles want everything to go perfect. Too bad that fate has other plans.Or a Valentine's Day Marriage Proposal AU.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So I’m going to be my usual fluff writing self and only write fluff as always ha. I made up so, so many prompts before I settled on this and finished it. it is seriously self indulgent. Hope you all like it as much I liked writing it :)  
> And since I’m shit at naming, here is a cliché title from the song Be My Forever by Christina Perri and Ed Sheeran.  
> And this is for Ammu, my constant cheerleader. It is unbetaed as of yet but my beta is working on it so all mistakes are mine.  
> A russian version is available [here](https://ficbook.net/readfic/6415346/16406206)

 

“You’re going to bite your skin off, Harry.”

Harry groaned from where he was biting the skin off his knuckles but stopped doing it nevertheless. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with all the air he needed before he started hyperventilating and feeling breathless.

He had a plan see. He had a perfect plan, crafted by spending hours on one piece of paper as he set it just right. His plan would put everyone else’s plans for the day to shame. His hand subconsciously reached towards his coat pocket, a coat he refused to part with due to the fear of someone finding out the box resting in it. He patted the pocket gently, feeling the box still being there and breathed a sigh of relief. It was still there just like it had been a few minutes ago.

Harry took a deep breath again and let it out with a sigh. His skin was thrumming with energy and his foot was tapping with his nerves. He couldn’t do this.

“Niall I can’t do this,” he whined, shuffling around to bury his head in his friend’s shoulders. It was war; it was nice. And he was probably wearing Harry’s cologne as well just it didn’t matter. Niall laughed, one hand coming up to pat Harry’s hair. It was soothing, sure, but it didn’t do anything to quell the rising anxiety in his chest. He was on the verge of a major panic attack, one he hadn't experienced in a very long time. But then he couldn’t help it as well. This was huge and it had to go perfectly. His life depended on it. Literally.

“Sure you can,” Niall said flippantly. “How hard can it be?”

“How hard?” Harry exclaimed, pulling back from Niall’s shoulders and glaring at the said man. It was his life’s most important decision, the most important step and yes it was the hardest thing he would ever have to do in his life.

Proposals, Louis always said were very beautiful and romantic and Harry always knew in his whoever between the two of them would propose would make it the sappiest thing ever. They were the most romantic ever anyway. Just he always assumed it would be Louis kneeling in front of him with a ring and he would be the one with tears in his eyes.

Louis, who always asked Harry to marry him at least once a week yet never going through with it. Louis, who never forgot to bring him flowers (a different one each time just so he could find Harry’s favourite one. Harry never told him he always was a classic red rose kind of guy) to their dates. Louis, who jumped every time someone around them proposed to their significant others. Louis, who promised Harry that he would make Harry cry when he would propose when he were sixteen and Louis was eighteen.

Never did he think the situations would be reversed.

So obviously Harry kept waiting for years for Louis to actually propose, dropping hints all over the place as they went. Just Louis never picked it then. But now they were together for seven years and Louis hadn’t proposed yet so he decided to take matters into his own hand. With a little help from Niall (and Gemma and his mother), he laid out a perfect plan which would knock Louis off his feet and make him cry in the best way. It would be beautiful.

Just... it was one day before Valentine’s Day, the day the plan would be executed and he had cold feet already. Could he actually do it?

Then there was Niall who couldn’t understand the severity of the situation. Sure Harry had lured him with promises of cupcakes which he had made but he also needed a supporter right now. Only food couldn’t help him with his anxiety now could it? He should’ve called Liam instead, he knew it. But Liam couldn’t be lured in that easy and he was the worst secret keeper. You could see the secrets in his eyes the more he tried to hide.

“You know Niall,” Harry started, still glaring. “Just because you don’t do serious relationship with a lot of love and commitment in it which is at the brink of a proposal you can’t comment.” His voice got squeaker and words faster at the end and he cut himself off with a choked up sound in his throat. Saying it out loud made him freak out more. Who knew. Time to stress eat the cupcakes he had baked then.

Harry ran into the kitchen and stuffed one chocolate chip banana cupcake into his mouth. Niall followed him in slowly, pace leisurely with no care in the world. Of course he had no care in the world. He wasn’t the one proposing. “What if he says no?” Harry asked around the food in his mouth.

“Now you’re just being ridiculous.” Niall rolled his eyes as he grabbed a cupcake for himself. He popped up on the free space on the counter and Harry made a sound in his throat. It was fine when Louis did it but not when anyone else did. But he didn’t say a word because he was the one needing help. “You know how gone he is for you right? Like I always thought you’d be the two to marry at the very first sight.”

Niall shook his head seemingly at the memory and he took another bite of his cupcake. “And these are good.”

Of course they were good. Harry had learnt to make them because they were Louis’s favourite. “Stop pulling my leg now,” Harry muttered instead, smiling as he took another cupcake for himself. He should probably ease on it now since he had to save some for Louis. But he couldn’t help as his mind flashed with the memories from a few years back.

Louis had moved into town, this alluring, entrancing boy who everyone wanted to know. Without doing anything, everyone was instantly captivated by him. So Harry was no exception to that. He was planning on doing a lot of silly, ridiculous moves to impress Louis into befriending him but was saved from the embarrassment when Louis plopped down next to him during lunch break and introducing himself. Then it just kinda happened.

“I wish I was,” Niall muttered under his breath, helping himself to yet another cupcake and Harry snapped back into the present. That was it. Too many cupcakes were being eaten. So despite Niall’s protests, he steering them out of the kitchen back into the living room. He wasn’t sure they would be able to salvage any cupcakes if they stayed and Louis would throw a proper strop about it. Grumpy Louis was adorable but also intolerable at times.

Niall just stood with his hands on his hips with a grumpy expression. “You need to make me more baked goods if you want me to listen to your incessant sobbing, Harry.”

“There will be no sobbing.” He held the blond’s gaze for a good two minutes before he gave in, sighing. “I’ll make you something just help me out, alright?”

“Now we’re talking,” Niall said with a huge grin on his face as he plopped onto the couch. “So where were we?”

-

The day was here. This was it. Valentine’s Day. The day. Harry felt like he was going to die of excessive panic.

Deep breaths, he instructed himself. No need to panic. It was just Louis so it wasn’t like he was going to be rejected. Like Louis would ever reject him. ‘But what if he did reject your proposal’, a tiny, annoying voice in his head asked. Harry squeezed his eyes shut to remove that voice. Niall had told him to ignore that voice. But only if it were that easy then he wouldn’t be here. Happy thoughts then. Immediately Louis’s face popped up in behind his eyelids. Louis laughing with his head thrown back, rays of sunshine highlighting his cheekbones and lighting his face in an ethereal glow. It was the memory of one of their old dates by their special tree where Louis held his hands as he told him that they would be married and old but still this embarrassingly in love and happy. His heart had fluttered in his chest then and it fluttered in his chest now. He could feel the warmth of Louis’s words in his chest, briefly kicking all doubts.

No, Louis wouldn’t say no. They would be engaged at the end of the night. Harry smiled at the thought of it.

He had got this. He had a plan™.

Harry opened his eyes, briefly glancing at the clock to see it was half past three. So the first part of the plan was about to be commenced. He pulled up his mental checklist.

1) Call Louis and tell him you’d pick him up from work.

It was a week back that Louis had ruefully informed him that he would be working on Valentine’s Day since no one else was willing and it was one of the busiest days at the restaurant. He joked that they could certainly use the extra money to splurge on their shop. Shop meaning the small antique place that Harry currently co-owned with his uncle and would soon be theirs. It was small and cute just like Louis, Harry would always say. And Louis would just blush in response, shoving him away as he pretended to disagree out loud but agreed in his head.

Harry had laughed and agreed then, heart beating in panic. In his head, though, he was freaking out, as the first part of his plan would be ruined. Then the whole thing would be messed up and he was convinced the whole thing would fall through. Yet he kept a steady exterior and coerced Louis into asking for the earliest shift, which was still in the afternoon. He would be free by four and with a little adjustment to the original plan, would still give enough time for the execution of the rest. It will be fine and still perfect, he told himself.

In the present Harry called up Louis and after three rings, he picked up. A fond smile spread over his face as Louis answered with a soft and squeaky ‘hello’.

“Hey Lou. Your shift is nearly over, yeah?”

A sigh could be heard from the other end along with some shuffling noise. “About that. Alice was supposed to take the shift at four see? But she just called me and begged me to stay put until five since she’s stuck somewhere and can’t make it sooner. So...”

“What?”  No no. This wasn’t happening. He wasn’t saying what he was saying. Was he?

“I’m so sorry Harry but I have to stay till five.” A repeat of ‘no’ rang loudly in Harry’s head. “Will it be fine?”

The soft, desperate and guilty touch to Louis’s voice what pulled him out of his daze and he realised he was biting his lower lip really hard. He released it from the pressure and found himself answering. “Yeah it’s fine.”

“I mean the dinner reservations aren’t till later right?”

The reservations, yeah. Harry hadn’t told Louis exactly where the dinner was planned for. He had crafted a thinly veiled lie which was now falling apart. He had a plan. A plan™! Which was now failing, wasn’t it.

“Yeah it would be fine.” It wouldn’t be fine but Harry still chuckled without humour.

“Really?”

“Yes,” Harry lied, voice a little firm and steady. It would be fine, he tried to convince himself as well. Just a delay of an hour, no big deal. He could still salvage this. He was tapping his foot tensely as he messed up his hair – two nervous ticks at once. Yet he was fine. “It’s fine,” he repeated.

“I’m so sorry babe.” Louis sighed and Harry knew that if they were face to face, he would be giving him a small reassuring smile. He knew his every habit. “We’ll meet soon yeah?”

“Pick you up at five.”

“Really? Okay, okay.” Louis cleared his throat and Harry narrowed his eyes. He was surprised and stumped with Harry’s statement. And it wasn’t the flattered kind of surprised but... something else. He really couldn’t tell at this point. “Pick me up at five then. Bye.”

Before Harry could squeeze out a ‘bye’, the other line went dead and he was left staring at his phone quizzically. What was that about?

After a minute, Harry shook his head and took in a deep breath. He had to inform Gemma about the delay it seems.

-

Harry took in deep breaths to steady and calm himself as he parked near the diner Louis worked at. He could see the inside of the place through the glass, all draped in pink streamers and heart balloons. There were red roses on the table where the people could share their mushy meals. It was cute and all the pink that the day deserved. Louis had been gushing about the decorations and remembering his face made Harry scrunch up his nose with the fondness he could barely hold back. Probably that's why he missed the rap on the window for the first two times.

“Hi,” Harry greeted, grinning and waving at his grumpy boyfriend through the closed window. Louis didn’t seem to share the excitement Harry had. He just narrowed his eyes and knocked on the window once more, pointedly. Harry hurried to open up the door, still grinning bright at ever. Somehow having Louis near put all of his worries to rest and made his day brighter. No wonder Liam made retching sounds when they were near. They were gross when near one another. Well.

“Took you long enough,” Louis complained, huffing as he got into the passenger seat and shut the door behind him. His blue eyes glared at him but Harry could see there was no fire behind the gesture so he kept grinning obnoxiously. Louis shook his head, lips turning up at the corners. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

It was only when Louis shifted to throw his duffle in the backseat did Harry notice his clothing. And he had to do a double take because what?

See now, Harry knew Louis would be coming straight from work. So what he was expecting was his boyfriend clad in his usual white dress shirt and trousers, his work clothes. Instead, what Louis was wearing was nothing like that. He was wearing his favourite black button up, the one which was slightly sheer and a tight fit, along with black skinny jeans. His hair was perfectly done up in a half air swept quiff style which he hadn’t styled in so long. And was he wearing glittery eye shadow?

Harry was so busy in taking up every detail of Louis’s, from the sliver of bare skin which peeked through when Louis leaned back to throw the duffle to the slope of his nose that he missed when Louis looked back into his eyes. What?

“What?” Louis voiced, as if mirroring Harry’s inner thoughts. He should be asking what because he was so damn surprised. His eyebrows were furrowed together as if he wasn’t the one igniting confusion in Harry’s brain. Louis subconsciously touched his hair, to tousle it, as it was his usual nervous tick. But he drew his hand back on time, remembering that there was product in it and it couldn’t be ruined. He glanced at himself in the front camera of his phone. “Is something wrong with my face?”

“Wha– no,” Harry managed to say, shutting his gaping mouth before smiling widely. On the contrary, actually. There was nothing wrong with his face, it looked flawless as ever. It was just Harry who was confused as to when Louis got the time to change. He was also happy to see Louis and was awed by his beauty. He would probably never stop being awed by Louis’s beauty. “Just... you cleaned up nice.”

“Says you.” Louis snorted, pointedly giving Harry a once over before his smile softened and his eyes crinkled as he smile turned from mocking to genuine. Harry gave him a dimpled grin in return.

Harry’s was like a perfect mirror of Louis’s clothing. Of sorts. He was wearing a black button up of his own just it was more buttoned down than up. He had spent hours debating whether he would like to make himself seem more formal or casual before deciding he would pair his black formal shirt with his black and white patterned leggings. Overall, it looked good, especially if he went by the approving look Louis was giving him. The tips of his cheek pinked as he ducked his head slightly before smiling at Louis again. “Thanks, Lou.”

“Blush-y teen,” Louis murmuring fondly under his breath, cheek slightly red himself. It was one of the grossest thing they did, or that was what Niall said. He often told them off when they resorted to their old flirting techniques – which meant complimenting each other and blushing. He claimed that it was more intimate and gross than them shoving their tongues in each other’s throats. Though he didn’t seem to mind it all that much anyway, as he said it all with a fond smile while making no moves to interrupt them. He was their biggest fan, or so he claimed. The two of them only sniggered at their friend’s antics.

“Says you,” Harry retorted, giving him a cheeky grin as he started up his car. He pressed a sloppy kiss to Louis’s lips before getting his car on the road. And as expected, Louis’s impatience began to show about five minutes into their drive.

“So where are we going?” Louis asked, his leg bouncing up and down as he tilted his head to a side. Something probably told him that Harry wouldn’t be revealing the information any time soon since he asked the question again, more sweetly and softly as he widened his eyes. But Harry’s resolve was steeled. He wouldn’t be giving up more information than necessary, no matter how cute Louis was making himself look. Nope, he wouldn’t.

That's why he kept his gaze firmly on the road while he used one hand to card through his hair. It was getting longer and he liked it. Frankly, he felt like he was forgetting how to manage short hair anymore after having it long since three years. After having it cut, it didn’t feel natural anymore. Like cutting off a limb. Which he thought was a tad bit dramatic because hair can always grow back right? “You’ll know soon, Lou.”

“Tell me!” Louis pleaded, fluttering his eyelashes prettily. It wasn’t fair since he knew Harry liked his long eyelashes. So he just scrunched up his nose again as tried to hold back his fond smile. And he knew he had failed terrible the moment he started. “Please?”

“Patience is a virtue,” Harry replied in a sing a song tone before shooting him a smirk. He could hear Louis huff loudly and dramatically as he sunk back into his seat like the occasional drama queen he was. He knew his boyfriend wouldn’t give up any time soon. So this time, he didn’t hold back his fond smile.

It was quiet in the car for all for two minutes before...

“Come on, babe, tell me now!” he demanded instead of asking. His lips were turned down in an adorable pout. A pout that Harry knew he couldn’t resist so he tried his best to avoid the powers of. “Please?”

Harry didn’t bother to respond. Wouldn’t be any use. So he actively ignored Louis.

-

Harry was about to call the part two of his plan an absolute success when it all broke down.

Literally.

2) Drive Louis to the place.

They were just about to reach the place™ when his car broke down for apparently no reason. Actually there was a reason – a flat tire – but this wasn’t supposed to happen! Not at all.

Due to the frustration because of it, Harry found himself stomping his feet childishly while Louis giggled from where he was perched on the hood of the car, piercing the tranquillity of the night. It was dark all around the stars shined bright about them. It would’ve been scenic even, with the grass fields around them and the starry sky above and his boyfriend, soon to be fiancé, looking beautiful as ever. Just Harry couldn’t find it in himself to care, since all he was grumbling about was how nothing was going according to his plan.

“Let’s just stay here and look at the sky, Harold,” Louis piped up as his giggles faded into a soft smile. His head was tilted to a side and seemed as if he was contemplating something beyond what Harry could peruse. Then he threw his head back as he looked at the sky. “It’s beautiful here.”

“No,” Harry squawked, making Louis flinch a little, as yeah, it was too silent and Harry was too loud. He cleared his throat, looking away into the fields. His hands came around to card through his hair as he pursed his lips, contemplating what to say next. “I mean, yeah it is beautiful out here but we have some place to get. And we don’t have any food.” Louis chuckled. Harry glanced at him, taking in his curious face and twinkling eyes which were reflecting the dark blue of the night. “Besides, I’ve already texted Gemma and she’s on her way.”

“Oh,” was all Louis said, nodding dejectedly. A flicker of emotions passed through his eyes, none staying long enough for Harry to figure out. Actually, under this stress, he wasn’t sure he could figure them out that quick anyway. Low-key he knew Louis had something else on his mind as he played with the long part of his fringe which kept blowing with the wind. Despite all the worry, seeing Louis fixing his fringe made him feel light-hearted. When Harry had decided to cut his hair a few months back, he had been nervous. It would be a new stage of his life, surely, but he knew he had to try. He felt very unsure with the short length. And Louis probably sensed it.

Hence with no warning whatsoever, Louis just went ahead and got his haircut similar to Harry, saying they could grow their hair out together again. And their hair was growing out again. It was beautiful.

Even though Harry’s mind was reeling with fond memories, he could see a resolve settle on Louis’s face. There was a touch of nervousness, which he could tell. His mouth opened a few time but no words came out. And just when it looked like Louis would actually speak, bright light flickered towards them and a loud honk of a car could be heard. It made the two of them flinch and jump in surprise and they turned to look towards the approaching car simultaneously. Gemma. Of course.

“Over here, boys,” she yelled as she waved them over. The two ran towards the car, squinting, as Gemma hadn’t turned off the headlights. As they reached, Harry sighed in relief while there was residue of distress on his face which he smoothed over with a smile. “Get in.”

“How did you get here so quickly?” Louis asked, voice slightly breathy due to the slight jog. And that was the moment when everything in Harry’s head went ‘uh oh’. Gemma couldn’t possibly be here this soon. It had only been like ten minutes since the car had broken down. And since Gemma lived in London, which was a good few hours away, she shouldn’t have been here so soon. Harry’s eyes widened as he looked at Gemma for a response. Thankfully, Louis didn’t see his literal wide-eyed panic.

Thankfully, Gemma was a much, much better liar than Harry could ever be so she didn’t even face the slightest reluctance to answer. “Was in the area,” she said breezily, waving her hands like it was no big deal. Louis still looked confused and suspicious but Gemma didn’t heed to it, just starting the car and steering it to their destination. Harry met her eyes in the mirror, sending a nonverbal thank you to his sister for being so wonderful. She gave him a small smile in return. “Be careful since next time I might not be so close.”

Gemma sent him a wink which had Harry chuckle into his hand. Louis looked at him quizzically but didn’t pursue it any further and thankfully. Harry wasn’t sure he was as convincible liar as his sister was. Also Louis could read his eyes and get the truth. They were used to knowing each other like the back of their hands. It was a surprise he managed to hide the proposal from him for so long.

A hand came to rest on Harry’s knee which he didn’t know he was bouncing. Louis gave him a tentative smile with raised brows, silently asking him what was wrong. Harry smiled back, a little shy suddenly as he remembered that he was about to propose. He shook his head, hand subconsciously lifting to touch the box in his pocket but he refrained at the very last moment. Didn’t want to raise any more suspicion, did he, now.

The car came slowly to a halt, the familiar white fences around them. Harry gulped as Louis examined their surrounding with narrowed eyes. Harry got out quickly, rounding on the other side before Louis could get out, and opened the door. Louis frowned. Harry knew how much he liked to hold open doors and guide in their relationship but today was going to be different and he’d have to pout and bear it. The blue-eyed boy accepted Harry’s offered hand and shut the door behind.

“Alright then,” Gemma chirped, smiling in their direction. “I’ll be off. Good luck.” She added the last part as she looked at Harry and winked. Harry was torn between glaring at how obvious she was being and accepting the luck to calm down his nerves. At the end he gave her a half smile. Louis, whose hand was still in his, squeezed his hand and looked at him curiously.

“What is all this about?” he asked while Gemma drove away. Harry resolutely looked at the fading car just to avoid looking Louis in the eyes least he gave it all away. Even though the first two parts of his plan had been a complete failure, he was determined to get the other points right. He wanted this proposal to go down as one of the best, a fond story to tell their grandkids so they’d coo over. Not laugh at.

So far, it seemed like a laugh story. Harry was determined to change it.

“Nothing,” Harry lied, smiling at Louis a little too sweetly. Louis didn’t buy it for one second as his eyebrows were raised, but again he let it drop. Instead he played with his fringe.

“Okay.”

“So shall we proceed?” Harry asked, eyebrows raised in his attempt to maintain a sombre expression. Louis immediately caught on to the act, keeping a straight face of his own as he nodded.

“So are we headed into the woods?” Louis teased. He gasped and put on an overly shocked face. “Are you going to kill me in the woods?”

Harry smirked. He would’ve chuckled if not for his nerves and fast beating heart. “Relax Louis. You’ll love it.”

“Of course I would,” he said, voice soft. It made Harry’s heart leap for a different reason. Louis was always so soft with him, so gentle and nice. And it never stopped making him fall for the other all over again. Okay he was still whipped.

They walked for a minute or so, Harry flitting his gaze between the path and Louis’s face. Louis always looked beautiful under the starlight with the dim light basking on his face and highlighting his cheekbones. He seemed to be taking in his surroundings with curious eyes, as they flitted from corner to corner. Harry could see the exact moment it clicked in his eyes, as they widened slightly and he shot him an incredulous look. Like he couldn’t believe Harry actually did that. Well of course he did that.

“So here we are,” Harry announced with his arms spread wide, rather unnecessarily since Louis had already spotted the tree – their tree – lighted up with twinkling fairy lights. Harry would’ve been glancing at Louis’s awed expression except he was a little awed by the setting as well. Between his busy schedule and the whole ‘hiding from Louis without being obvious’ thing, Harry wasn’t able to drop by down here to decorate the place. So he had asked Gemma for help and after a lot of persuasion and begging and promising things, she had agreed. She had done a great job of it.

When Harry and Louis were younger, they always used to come by this tree to spend time together. Harry usually leaned against the tree reading a book while Louis would rest his head on his lap while trying to distract him. They had many a conversations under this tree, sharing their secrets and dreams and everything in between. It was their safe place, somewhere they felt connected to each other and disconnected from the world. And obviously Harry thought that a trip down the memory lane would make it more romantic. And it did.

“This is beautiful Harry,” Louis whispered, like he was afraid speaking louder would break the precious moment. Harry smiled at him, eyes taking in the glow of his face as he smiled. His blue eyes were shining brighter than the lights on the tree, brighter than even the stars overhead. Louis leaned up to kiss Harry and at the same time, the latter ducked, sensing it. They met in the middle for a perfect kiss, something which was soft and comfortable. Louis’s smile brightened tenfold after that, if that was even possible. “Did you do all of this?”

Harry bit his lower lip and glanced one more time at the brightened tree. There were white fairy lights draped over the branches – perfectly suited for the wide, drooping tree – and framing a table underneath it. The table had a white cloth draped over it, with a bottle of wine kept over it with some plates covered by those silver plate covers. They had a name right? Well he couldn’t remember them right now. He had to search for that word.

For just one selfish minute, Harry was tempted to take all the credit for himself. But he didn’t. He just shrugged, turning to Louis to shoot him a coy smile. “I mean Gemma helped me a little with it.”

“That’s why she was here,” Louis exclaimed all of a sudden, snapping his fingers like he did something huge. When it was just getting the answer to a previous unasked and false answered question. It was cute Harry couldn’t help his nose scrunch action. Louis let out a small laugh, covering his mouth with his dainty little hands. It was his cutest habit. Well along with his every habit, that is.

“Yeah so let’s head to dinner?” he asked. And that was the third part.

3) Dinner. Don’t mess it up.

He wasn’t planning on messing it up anyway.

Harry hurried ahead and pulled a chair out for Louis to sit. The shorter man frowned at him as he sat down. And like Harry had thought earlier to him, he might just have to frown and bear it. Or had he thought pout? Never mind. He could do either but Harry would be the chivalrous one today and that was that. So he smiled at his boyfriend while taking the seat directly across.

“Cloches!” Harry exclaimed out of nowhere, clapping his hands together triumphantly. That's what they were called now that he remembered. He had googled them a while back. Louis stared at him quizzically, eyebrows raised curiously as a small smile played on his lips. “That’s what these are called.” He pointed towards the silver plate covers.

“You were reading random articles I’m guessing?” Louis asked softly, tilting his head to a side. But it was more of a conclusion than a question because he knew Harry all too well.

“I was.” Harry smiled, ducking his head slightly. He played nervously with the rings on his finger, which most of them were given by Louis. Louis gave him a lot of promise rings but never an engagement ring, which why not. Why didn’t he? Not like Harry would refuse. He knew that right. Louis knocked his leg under the table causing Harry to look up.

“What you thinking?” he asked, pointing towards his forehead which meant he was frowning really hard. Oops.

“Nothing,” Harry lied, shaking his head. But he knocked Louis’s leg back anyway, causing him to giggle. It was cute. “Let’s eat, yeah?”

“Sure. What's for dinner then?”

“We’d have to find out.” Harry shrugged since he didn’t know what the food was under the cloches. He had asked his mum to cook since he wouldn’t have enough time to whip something up. And the delicious smell wafting from the food meant his mum had made something nice. Of course she had. Whose mum was she huh? “Seems nice.”

“So you didn’t cook?” Louis teased, glancing at the plates of steaming spaghetti. The teasing glint in his eyes meant he knew that Harry didn’t have time to cook but he enjoyed teasing him anyway. Harry blushed slightly, like he always did when Louis teased and ducked his head. “I’m a little disappointed.”

“You eat my cooking every day,” Harry pointed out. Louis chuckled. “Besides my mum cooked for us so don’t be insulting.”

“If Anne cooked it might be the best,” Louis said with a complete serious face. It was Harry’s turn to chuckle. “So let’s eat because I’m fucking starving.”

On cue Louis’s stomach gave a growl making both of them descend into fits of laughter. So dinner would be going well. At least one point on his list would be going well. Thankfully.

And it was going well. The food was delicious, of course, and being lit by the fairy lights under the starry sky was magical and the weather was pleasant. Their plates were nearly clean, or Louis’s was since Harry was too nervous to eat much as he debated when the exact moment was he should ask. But then as dinner was nearly over and Louis was laughing with his head thrown back, crinkles by his eyes intensifying as he laughed at Harry’s bad joke, he thought yes. This was the perfect moment to pop the question.

“Louis, I –”

Alas he never took the unpredictability of the rain into consideration while making his grand plan. Since right then, it started to pour. Heavily. Well shit.

“Shit,” Harry exclaimed as he hurriedly covered what was left on his dinner. Louis was squealing on the other side of the table, just they were more of delighted squeals than Harry’s resigned ones. It didn’t even matter that his clothes were all wet, it didn’t matter his hair would be soppy. He thought of switching off the fairy lights, only he didn’t know where the switch was and there was a big possibility of getting an electric shock so he refrained.

Harry covered his head and ran around for shelter before realising, that yeah they were in the middle of a small clearing with nothing except their tree for cover. The tree didn’t help much as the rain slid from under the leaves and right onto his head, leaving his hair a soppy mess he’d knew it would be. At least he hadn’t used product since that would have been a disaster.

Just like this night was. This night was a right disaster. Screw the perfect plan.

“This is fun!” Louis yelled somewhere to his right, followed by giggles and squeals. Of course it was fun for him. The rain hadn’t just ruined his perfectly planned marriage proposal. He didn’t even know it was happening anyway. Not his fault but...

“This is a disaster,” he repeated to himself but saying it out loud didn’t make it any better. So he sighed and let the sound be carried away with the raindrop. He leaned back on the tree, letting his head rest on the bark, closing his eyes as the raindrops kept falling on his face. He felt really melodramatic as he did that but he couldn’t help it. His hair had probably stuck to his head and his clothes were definitely sticking to his body and his mood was sour. “Nothing is perfect in this plan.”

“Harry,” he heard Louis call out. He kept his eyes shut still, under the falling rain. And yes, he was definitely being melodramatic and should like stop. He didn’t respond, which he should’ve known wouldn’t stop Louis. “Harry. Harry. Harold. Hazza!”

And of course, he should’ve remembered. Louis was one persistent bugger when he wanted something. And especially when the something he wanted was Harry’s attention. Boys are said to pull girls’ pigtails on the playground while Louis is known to get loud, loud, and  _ loud _ when he wants Harry’s attention. It is like a general fact. And before he starts flicking stones from the ground at Harry’s head, he should probably open his eyes. And he did. He had to blink a couple of minutes to get the water drops out of his eyes and then a couple of minutes to focus on Louis standing in the rain.

He was glad he did open his eyes because Louis was a vision in black. The fabric was clinging to his every curve and he had a sunny smile on his face, which was funny since the sun is known to hide behind the clouds but here he was. Harry was probably shooting rainbows out of his eyes, in that logic. Or something like that.

“Join me,” Louis stated, using his hand to beckon him closer as he kept smiling brightly. He blinked a couple of times though, using the back of his hand to run the water off his face like a kitten but his smile didn’t fade. His hair had matted against his head, that long piece of fringe sticking on his face while he made no moves to fix it. Actually, he didn’t need to since he looked cute nevertheless. It was highly unfair.

When Harry made no moves to draw closer just then, Louis shook his head fondly and spun. He lifted his face to look at the sky, closing his eyes under the pressure of the rain and kept spinning slowly. It was a heavenly cute sight and Harry wasn’t so sure about the whole ‘night being ruined’ thing. Actually, right now he didn’t care.

So what if nothing went according to plan, he was still doing this.

Harry’s smile was probably a little crazed but it was only his nerves coming back in full force. He was doing this then. Right now. Right. He took a deep breath in and coughed as water was drawn in too. He didn’t let it shake his newly found confidence as he walked into the heavy downpour. His hair was going into his eyes a bit and his vision was slightly blurred because of it, but he could see Louis clear as day (funny that), dancing in the rain. Louis didn’t notice him come and how would he since his back was turned. Only when Harry was right behind him that the shorter lad turned.

“You actually came,” Louis said, beaming brightly as he blinked furiously as well. “Dance with me.”

Harry looked at the offered hand then back at Louis, judging his mood. It probably was too long an analysis as Louis frowned. “What?”

“I just...” Harry shook his head, smiling shyly and ducked his head before looking back up. “Wanted to ask you something.”

“Anything.”

“Um.” And just like that, he was nervous again. Crap. Harry looked at his feet and the wet soil beneath. If he were to get down on one knee right now, the knees of his leggings would get ruined. Should he still go for it? Yes he should. So he didn’t care about muddy clothes as he bent down on one knee all the while looking at Louis. He was plainly confused but as soon as Harry took out the box, his expression changed to that of surprise, shock and something else. “Will you marry me, Louis?”

“No!” Louis screamed and Harry’s heart fell down his stomach. No? Louis was rejecting him? Was this a bad dream? Then why was Louis rejecting him? Should he have gone with a speech? He knew he should’ve gone with one. Harry’s head was whirling and the rain kept splattering on him. After what felt like a lifetime, Louis started murmuring under his breath. “No, no this isn’t happening.”

“What?” Harry managed to croak. Louis, who was in the process of stomping his foot, looked at him, a little grumpy. Harry’s utter devastation was paving way for confusion.

“I was supposed to propose to you!” he blurted, eyes widening. “I mean...” He shook his head, sighing. “I had the ring and everything. That's what got me late since the ring had to be resized today. You beat me to it.”

What? Harry’s mind was still asking but his heart got the memo as it started jumping with joy. And as Louis brought out a similar box from his pocket, his heart started beating faster. Really?

Louis blinked a few times before his eyes widened again as he glanced at a kneeling Harry. “Shit. I didn’t mean to keep you hanging.” He shook his head as if disappointed in himself before looking at the ring in Harry’s box. A smile took over his face and made his eyes crinkle as he looked back. “I never thought I’d be the one to say this but... yes, a thousand times yes.”

Harry grinned, heart fluttering in his chest and dancing happily in his rib cage. He didn’t know it could do that. Louis extended his hand and Harry gingerly put the ring on his finger, the silver sitting brightly on his golden skin. And the rain kept falling on them. It was magical.

Harry kept staring at how wonderful the ring looked on Louis’s finger, the blue gemstone matching Louis’s eyes. He was nothing if not symbolic. Louis cleared his throat, making his eyes snap to him.

“Have you quite finished?” he asked, lips pursed but eyes twinkling merrily. Harry blinked furiously, partly because he was confused, partly because of the rain. He nodded slowly. “So get up and let me propose properly to you too.”

Harry laughed and some water went into his mouth so he spit it but stood up. Louis chuckled and swiftly descended to his knee like he was a pro. Which cough, he was but not now. Their positions were reversed and Harry couldn’t help the slight jump he did. Louis smiled fondly, shaking his head. Even though he knew what was coming, even though he had just proposed, the anticipation of being proposed to was enough to make him all kinds of excited.

Louis let out a sigh. “You don’t know how nervous I am,” he muttered and hmm, it explained why all his nervous ticks were coming to play all evening. Then Louis looked up and grinned.

“Harry Styles,” Louis said, voice high and squeaky as it went when he was nervous. “I knew that I loved you from the moment I laid my eyes on you, knew you would be special to me. And all I’ve dreamt since the past few years is walking down the aisle with you and raising little kids with you and just being with you forever.” Louis popped over the box, exposing a similar silver wedding band with a green gemstone. Okay so both of them were highly symbolic then. “So will you do me the honours of marrying you?”

Harry eyes were now filled with a different kind of water, something saltier than the raindrops which he wasn’t ashamed to mask. His throat was choked up with tears he was trying to hold back for now. Damn it. “Yes yes please.”

He didn’t care that his voice was squeaky and hoarse. Louis was still smiling and although the rain was being a barrier but Harry was sure Louis’s eyes were shining with tears as well. He slid the silver band on Harry’s finger, the details blurry by water at that moment but it still managed to make him more teary.

“And this is how you propose, baby,” Louis said smugly. The moment Harry realised, the other swerved to avoid Harry’s hand coming at him to swat at him.

“This isn’t fair,” Harry croaked, now properly crying. “You can’t make a better proposal than me.”

“I think I just did,” Louis said smugly but leaned forward to lay a kiss on Harry’s lips. “My fiancé.”

It made Harry’s heart lurch, just that word and he was transported to the first time Louis called him boyfriend. The feeling was new yet old, familiar and comfortable and made him warm even when he was drenched in cool water. He wrapped his hands around Louis.

This was his perfect proposal. With the tear-filled eyes and a new ring on his finger. And he couldn’t be happier than now. He buried his face in Louis’s hair and placed a kiss on his head. He could feel Louis smile against his shoulder.

They didn’t know how long they stood there swaying. But they did realise that at some point the rain had slowed and disappeared and the clouds cleared to make way for the starry sky. If not for their drenched selves and the wet soil, no one would know it ever rained. They still didn’t untangle themselves from each other, just shared each other’s warmth.

“I don’t know if the sky purposely chose this very moment to rain on our parade,” Harry mumbled against Louis’s head, giggling at his unintentional joke.

“It just made it more romantic,” Louis whispered.

And yeah, maybe it did.

In the end, Harry didn’t really need a perfect plan. Actually, he didn’t need a plan at all. All he needed was his boy there with him and everything was sure to fall into place just right.

This was perfect, right now.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Also oh. Harry and Louis live in Manchester in this fic. And I know nothing about then English weather since I’m not from there. But google told me it rains in Cheshire during February so if I’m wrong, I’m so sorry but go with it?  
> Thank you for reading. Kudos and Comments are appreciated.  
> I'm on [twitter](https://twitter.com/rainbowslovehl) come and say hi (oops).  
> Also on [tumblr](http://rainbowsandlovehl.tumblr.com/post/157227945078/be-my-forever-rainbowsandlove-larrytrueluv)


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